Effects of the Mongols Lecture

1 Background

1 Chronology –

1 1206-1227 Reign of Chinggis Khan 2 1211-1234 Conquest of northern China 3 1219-1221 Conquest of Persia 4 1237-1241 Conquest of Russia 5 1258 Capture of Baghdad 6 1264-1279 Conquest of southern China 2

3 Geography (see maps)

The Mongols and the Eurasian Empire

Built the largest empire in history stretching from Poland to China

13.8 million square miles

100 million people under Mongol Rule

Who were the Mongols?

From the central steppes of Asia

Nomadic peoples

United under the leadership of Temujin (a.k.a Chinggis Khan or Genghis Khan)

3.1 “Courage Culture” – honor and prestige earned through performance in battle, culture revolves around acts of bravery, endurance, and strength

Temujin

Born 1167

Orphaned – father poisoned by rival clans - throughout early adult life sought revenge for father’s death

“Master of the art of steppe diplomacy” – courage in battle, making alliances, threats of revenge, deception and trickery, clan loyalty

Warlike and merciless: Fighting wasn’t enough, only winning was important

“Man’s greatest joy is in victory: to conquer one’s enemies, to pursue them, to deprive them of their possessions, to make their beloved weep, to ride on their horses, and to embrace their wives and daughters…”

1206 – Made “Chinggis Khan” or Great Khan or Great Leader

Mongol art of war

Large, mobile armies

Expert cavalry - Mongols were great horsemen

Use of mounted archers All soldiers rode horses

Battle tactics – used deceit as a tactic – pretend to flee from an enemy to draw them into a trap

“Cutting edge weapons”

Accurate and powerful bows (Mongolian re-curved bow)

Highly protective leather shields and armor

Use of gunpowder as a weapon in battle

Psychological Warfare

Would slaughter the inhabitants of a few cities so word would spread to inhabitants of nearby cities who would more likely surrender rather than be killed

Historian John Fairbank: “By putting cities to the sword, they let terror run ahead of them”

A Persian observer from the 13th century: “In one stroke, a world which billowed with fertility was laid desolate, and the regions thereof became a desert, and the greater part of the living and their skin and bones crumbling in the dust; and the mighty were humbled

and immersed in the calamities of perdition…” 4 5 After the death of Chinggis Khan, problems with succession left the Mongol Empire split into 4 Khanates (see map) 2 3 Effects of Mongol Rule – 1 Effects on Eurasia 1.1 Pax Mongolia 1.1.1 Under the Mongols there was: 1.1.1.1 Unprecedented long distance trade 1.1.1.2 Widespread exchange of people, technology, and information 1.1.1.3 Widespread cultural diffusion – Mongols were conduits of culture 1.1.1.4 Stable government based on Islamic and Chinese administration systems 1.1.1.5 Establishment of a unified law code (Yasa) 1.1.1.6 More religious toleration within the Mongol Empire 1.2 Black Plague 1.2.1 Use of plague victims as siege weapons at the Battle of Kalla on the Crimean

Peninsula, helped to spread the disease to Western Europe (Black Sea merchants spread it to the Mediterranean sea ports) 1.3 But the Mongols did NOT produce: 1.3.1 Any technological breakthroughs 1.3.2 A new religion 1.3.3 Many written books 1.3.4 Any permanent structures (other than bridges) 1.3.5 Any architectural achievements 2 3 Effects on Europe 3.1 Western Europe 3.1.1 Mongols turned away from Western Europe so it was not directly affected by the Mongol invasions 3.1.2 Gained tremendously due to contact of merchants and exchange of diplomatic and religious envoys 3.1.3 Strong relationship between Venetian merchants and Mongols, led to Venice becoming the focal point of trade between East and West 3.1.4 Increased trade along the Silk Routes also spread disease (e.g. the plague) to Western Europe 3.2 Eastern Europe 3.2.1 Mongols defeated the Germans, Poles, Bulgars, and Hungarians because their lands were flat and grassy (steppe horse culture) 3.2.2 Eastern Europe though was very poor so the Mongols didn’t really desire much so Eastern Europe was largely untouched by Mongol rule

3.3 Russia 3.3.1 Mongol defeat of Kiev Russia in 1224 puts the people of Russia under Mongol rule 3.3.2 Most cities were destroyed and the ones that were spared had to pay high tributary payments to Mongol rulers 3.3.3 But – local Russian rulers were very autonomous as there were very few Mongol officials in Russia 3.3.3.1 As long as regular tribute payments were sent, the Mongols left the Russian principalities alone (INDIRECT RULE) 3.3.4 Mongol destruction of Kievan power leads to the rise of the state of Muscovy (Moscow) 3.3.4.1 Becomes a cultural and economic center 3.3.4.2 Its ruler, Ivan III, finally defeats the Mongols in 1480 and Mongol rule over Russia ends 3.3.5 Mongol rule limited Russian interaction with Western Europe 3.3.5.1 Keeps Russia isolated from the cultural developments of the European Renaissance 3.3.5.2 End of Mongol rule causes a period of cultural decay in Russia except in northern Russia 3.4 Effects on Japan and Korea 3.4.1 Mongols failed to conquer Japan 3.4.1.1 Tried to invade on two occasions – both times Mongol invasion fleet was turned back (kamikaze – divine wind) 3.4.1.2 Little to no effect on Japan 3.4.2 Korea - Mongols defeated the Koryo dynasty 3.4.2.1 Economy and peasant suffered (forced labor) 3.4.2.2 Koryo family left in charge but Mongols forcibly arranged marriages to legitimize their rule and to Mongolize the ruling family 3.5 Effects on SE Asia 3.5.1 Mongols conquered Burma and Laos but become tributary states (no direct rule) 3.5.2 Failed to conquer Vietnam 3.5.2.1 Disease, supply shortages, climate, and Vietnamese resistance 3.5.3 Mongols encouraged Chinese merchants to emigrate to SE Asia and establish trading stations in foreign ports (to expand trade) 3.6 Effects on SW Asia 3.6.1 Muslim societies of SW Asia had highest levels of commerce and civilization - Mongol invasions did the most damage here 3.6.2 Baghdad - the heart of the Muslim world - was sacked and the Abbasid Empire ceased to exist 3.6.3 Mongols controlled Islamic world from the Indus River to the Mediterranean 3.6.3.1 Not since the birth of Islam had so much of the Muslim world been ruled by non-believers 3.6.3.2 Only North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula remained outside of Mongol control 3.6.4 Mongol rule allowed Persian culture to reemerge after centuries of Arab domination 3.7 Effects on China 3.7.1 Mongols defeat the Song Dynasty and conquer all of China 3.7.1.1 Establish the Yuan Dynasty 3.7.2 Abolished the civil service exams 3.7.2.1 To reduce the power and influence of the scholar-gentry 3.7.2.2 Continued to use the Chinese system of administration (bureaucracy) to administer China 3.7.3 Promoted trade and commerce 3.7.3.1 Raised merchants’ status in China 3.7.4 Encouraged the movement of paper money (not just goods) to standardize units of account throughout the Empire 3.7.5 Supported the peasants and the peasant economy 3.7.5.1 reduced some taxes 3.7.5.2 increased public granaries to feed peasants in times of famine 3.7.5.3 But forced peasants to work without pay on public works projects like rebuilding the Grand Canal 3.7.6 Cultural Effects of the Yuan Dynasty 3.7.6.1 Protected Mongol identity by forbidding Mongols to marry Chinese 3.7.6.2 Chinese were forbidden to learn the Mongol language 3.7.6.3 Mongols did not adopt Chinese religions such as Confucianism or Daoism 3.7.6.3.1 Instead opted to convert to Buddhism and Islam 3.7.6.3.1.1 Built mosques 3.7.6.3.1.2 Appointed Islamic financial administrators 3.7.6.3.1.3 Brought Tibetan Buddhists monks to China to help rule and promote Buddhism 3.7.6.4 Tolerated all religions and expected Chinese to do the same 3.7.7 Social Effects of the Yuan Dynasty 3.7.7.1 New Social Hierarchy - based on ethnicity, put native or Han Chinese at the bottom 3.7.7.1.1 Mongols 3.7.7.1.2 non-Han Chinese 3.7.7.1.2.1 Islamic people from Western China 3.7.7.1.2.2 Persians 3.7.7.1.2.3 Turks 3.7.7.1.3 Northern Chinese, Manchurians 3.7.7.1.4 Southern (Han) Chinese 3.7.7.2 Han Chinese were discriminated against but ultimately it was the Mongols who adopted Chinese civilization (Sinification) 3.7.7.3 Women 3.7.7.3.1 Mongol women, unlike their Chinese counterparts, were expected to serve in the military - rode horses, used bows, commanded both men and women 3.7.7.3.2 Mongol women rejected the Chinese practice of footbinding 3.7.7.3.3 Once Mongols began to be more Sinicized - Mongol women lost public power. Only women who remained in Mongolia continue to enjoy higher social status 3.7.8 Kublai Khan 3.7.8.1 Grandson of Chingiss Khan 3.7.8.2 Well-educated 3.7.8.3 Preferred buildings and cities - not traditional Mongolian tents or yurts 3.7.8.4 Extend the Grand Canal to new capital of Beijing 3.7.8.5 Infatuated with Chinese civilization - wanted to appear more Chinese so. through art, he sought to sinicize his image 3.7.8.6 Has lots of Chinese and foreign advisors 3.7.8.6.1 Including Europeans like Marco Polo 3.7.8.6.2 Military was always under Mongol control 3.7.8.7 While he wanted to appear more Chinese to his public, in private, he and his family continued to act as Mongols in speech, dress, food, entertainment, etc. 3.7.9 Fall of the Yuan Dynasty 3.7.9.1 Shortest lived of the major Chinese dynasties (1264CE to 1368CE) 3.7.9.2 Decline caused by: 3.7.9.2.1 series of weak rulers 3.7.9.2.2 Lack of cohesion due to religious, ethnic, and cultural differences 3.7.9.2.3 Increasing isolation of the Yuan Dynasty 3.7.9.2.4 Chinese never accepted the legitimacy of Mongol rule 3.7.9.2.5 High taxes imposed by the Mongol rulers 3.7.9.2.6 Corruption among the high officials 3.7.9.3 Eventually overthrown in 1368 CE by Zhu Yuanzhang, a Buddhist monk, who establishes a new dynasty he calls the Ming (or “brilliant”)